Vehicle body ash tray cigarette extinguisher

ABSTRACT

An ash tray includes an ash receptacle mounted for movement between open and closed positions relative to a vehicle body occupant compartment panel structure. A tubular member is mounted on the ash receptacle for movement between a pair of horizontally inclined positions rotated end-for-end from each other to alternately expose the opposite ends of the tubular member in upwardly oriented cigarette receiving positions during successive movements of the ash receptacle to open position. A ball is received within the tubular member for captured movement between the opposite ends thereof and gravity moves the ball to the lower end of the tubular member each time it is rotated. A lit cigarette inserted into the upper end of the tubular member through a funnel-like guide mounted on the ash receptacle is thus extinguished by limited oxygen flow to its burning end. Downward ball movement also aids in expelling a previously extinguished cigarette from the tubular member into the ash receptacle as it is opened for subsequent use. A first set of camming portions including a fixed camming portion on the panel structure and a pair of camming portions movable with the tubular member provide each initial rotation of the tubular member. An overcenter arrangement including a helical spring and a second set of camming portions is moved overcenter by this initial rotational movement and thus completes the rotation of the tubular member each time the ash receptacle is opened.

United States Patent 1 Hodgson June 5, 1973 [541 VEHICLE BODY ASH TRAY CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER [75] Inventor: Robert D. Hodgson, Birmingham,

Mich.

[73] Assignee: General Motors Corporation, De-

troit, Mich.

[221 Filed: Apr. 26, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 247,738

[52] US. Cl ..131/235 R, 131/240 E [51] Int. Cl. ..A24f 19/14 [58] Field of Search ..131/235 R, 237, 240 E [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,757,279 5/1930 Weinberg ..131/240 E UX 2,311,926 2/1943 Brand ..13l/240 E UX 2,598,175 5/1952 Jinks ..13l/237 2,623,529 12/1952 Soule ..13l/235 R 3,620,226 11/1971 Eilertson ..l3l/237 X FOREIGN PATENTS'OR APPLICATIONS 448,537 6/1936 Great Britain ..13l/235 R Primary Examiner-Joseph S. Reich Attorney-W. E. Finken and H. Furman [57] ABSTRACT An ash tray includes an ash receptacle mounted for movement between open and closed positions relative to a vehicle body occupant compartment panel structure. A tubular member is mounted on the ash receptacle for movement between a pair of horizontally inclined positions rotated end-for-end from each other to alternately expose the opposite ends of the tubular member in upwardly oriented cigarette receiving positions during successive movements of the ash receptacle to open position. A ball is received within the tu bular member for captured movement between the opposite ends thereof and gravity moves the ball to the lower end of the tubular member each time it is rotated. A lit cigarette inserted into the upper end of the tubular member through a funnel-like guide mounted on the ash receptacle is thus extinguished by limited oxygen flow to its burning end. Downward ball movement also aids in expelling a previously extinguished cigarette from the tubular member into the ash receptacle as it is opened for subsequent use. A first set of camming portions including a fixed camming portion on the panel structure and a pair of camming portions movable with the tubular member provide each initial rotation of the tubular member. An overcenter arrangement including a helical spring and a second set of camming portions is moved overcenter by this initial rotational movement and thus completes the rotation of the tubular member each time the ash receptacle is opened.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENTEUJUH 5:915 3,736,943

SHEET 1 [1F 2 PATENTEDJUN 5 I975 SHEET 2 OF 2 Fllllil- "l'HIiiiz llllilL VEHICLE BODY ASH TRAY CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a vehicle body ash tray cigarette extinguisher.

Vehicle body ash trays conventionally include an ash receptacle movable between open and closed positions relative to an occupant compartment panel structure of the vehicle body. In orderto extinguish lit cigarettes, the ash receptacles conventionally fixedly mount a suitable snubber member for stubbing out cigarettes. It is also known for this snubber member to take the form of a cup-like receptacle movable between upstanding and downwardly tipped positions in response to opening and closing movement of the ash receptacle to dump an extinguished cigarette downwardly into the ash receptacle as it is closed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One feature of this invention is that it provides a vehicle body ash tray whose ash receptacle supports an improved cigarette extinguisher including an elongated tubular member mounted for rotational movement between a pair of horizontally inclined cigarette receiving positions rotated end-for-end from each other in response to movement of the ash receptacle and having a ball received within the tubular member for captured movement between the opposite ends thereof to normally close the lower end thereof such that a lit cigarette received within the tubular member will be extinguished by a decreased flow of oxygen to its burning end. Another feature of the invention is that downwardv ball movement as the tubular member is rotated from one position to the other aids in expelling a previously extinguished cigarette from the tubular member into the ash receptacle as it is opened for subsequent use. Another feature of this invention is that the extinguisher includes a first set of camming portions having a fixed camming portion on the panel structure which supports the ash receptacle and a pair of camming portions on the tubular member to provide the initial rotational movement of the tubular member in response to opening movement of the ash receptacle, and an overcenter arrangement having a spring and a second set of camming portions moved overcenter by the initial rotational movement provided by the first set of camming portions such that spring action subsequently completes the rotational movement of the tubular member to either inclined position. Another feature of the invention is that the camming portions movable with the tubular member alternately engage the fixed camming portion during successive openings of the ash recepta- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An understanding of the present invention is readily apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle body instrument panel which supports an ash receptacle shown in an open position and including a cigarette extinguisher constructed according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and shows the cigarette extinguisher as including an elongated tubular member mounted for rotational movement between a pair of inclined cigarette receiving positions rotated endfor-end from each other in response to movement of the ash receptacleand having a ball received within the tubular member for captured movement between the opposite ends thereof to limit oxygen flow to a lit cigarette received within the tubular member and t0 thus extinguish the cigarette;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the ash tray and extinguisher taken generally along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIGS 4 and 5 are plan and sectional views taken in directions respectively the same as FIGS. 3 and 2 and illustrate the manner in which the tubular member is rotated by an upper first set of camming portions and by an overcenter arrangement including a spring and a lower second set of camming portions; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the same direction as FIGS. 2 and 5 and shows the ash receptacle just after movement to open position where the ball is moving downwardly under the influence of gravity to aid in expelling an extinguished cigarette from the tubular member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a vehicle body instrument panel 10 includes an ash tray generally indicated by 12 and including an ash receptacle 14. The ash receptacle 14 is mounted for movement between the open position as shown and a forward closed position in a conventional manner by suitable track members which are not shown. As can be seen by additionally referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper rearward portion of ash receptacle 14 includes a generally funnellike guide portion 16 for guiding a lit cigarette into a cigarette extinguisher constructed according to this invention and generally indicated by 18. The cigarette extinguisher includes an elongated cigarette receiving tubular member 20 whose opposite ends are open but crimped slightly such that a ball 22 is captured within the tubular member for movement between its opposite ends. The ball 22 normally assumes a position at the lower end of the tubular member 20 under the influence of gravity such that a lit cigarette 24 inserted within the tubular member through the guide portion 16 is extinguished due to the lack of oxygen flow from the lower end of the tubular member and the limited flow of oxygen around the cigarette from the upper end. The internal diameter of the tubular member should be slightly larger than the diameter of a cigarette so the cigarette will slide freely but will not allow the oxygen flow from the upper end of the tubular member to the lower burning cigarette end to be substantial. Also, the length of the tubular member should be just slightly longer than an unlit cigarette such that the extinguisher will function when a smoker decides to extinguish a freshly lit cigarette.

The tubular member 20 is supported midway between its ends by a generally cylindrical mounting portion 26, seen best in FIG. 3, for rotational movement which alternately aligns each end of the tubular member with the guide portion 16 during successive opening movements of the ash receptacle 14 as will be described. The end of mounting portion 26 which extends upwardly and to the left in FIG. 2 is suitably secured to an elongated pintle portion 28 whose upper end is rotatably received by a U-shaped bracket 30 extending between the opposite sides 32 of ash receptacle 14. Above and to the left of bracket 30, the pintle portion 28 supports a pair of movable camming portions 34 oriented generally normal to each other and cooperable with a fixed camming portion 36 extending downwardly from the instrument panel to provide the actuation for the rotational movement. The lower righthand end of mounting portion 26 is integrally supported on a camming portion 38 whose peaks 40 are received within the valleys between the peaks 42 of a camming portion 44. Camming portion 44 is suitably secured to ash receptacle 14 as by welds 46 and defines a cylindrical opening 47 which faces to the upper left and receives a pintle portion 48, see also FIGS. 4 and 5, to support camming portion 38 for rotational movement about the elongated axis of pintle portion 28 and for sliding movement along this axis upwardly to the left. A helical spring 50 encircles the elongated pintle portion 28 and has its upper end seated against bracket 30 and its lower end seated against and biasing mounting portion 26 downwardly and to the right. This biasing provides an overcenter arrangement which normally positions the tubular member 20 in the FIG. 2 position or a position rotated end-for-end or 180 from this position.

After a person has inserted a lit cigarette into the guide portion 16 generally as shown in FIG. 2, subsequent closing movement of the ash receptacle 14 will cause the movable camming portion 34 having the upstanding orientation to engage surface 36 of the fixed camming portion 36, see FIG. 3. This engagement through the pintle portion 28 and mounting portion 26 will cause the camming portion 38 to rotate in the direction of arrow A and ride upwardly on camming portion 44 toward bracket 30 against the bias of spring 50. However, before this rotational movement is sufficient to cause the peaks 40 of camming portion 38 to engage peaks 42 of camming portion 44, the upstanding movable camming portion 34 will move over the forward end of fixed camming portion 36 and the bias of spring 50 will return the camming portion 38 and tubular member 20 to the position assumed prior to commencement of this closing movement of the ash receptacle 14. Consequently, the cigarette remains within the tubular member as the ash receptacle is in closed position to ensure that it becomes extinguished.

Opening movement of the ash receptacle 14 will cause the upstanding movable camming portion 34 to first engage the surface 36" of the fixed camming portion 36 and to rotate camming portion 38 in the direction of arrow B, FIG. 4. This camming portion 34 will engage the lower edge of camming portion 36 after this rotational movement commences and will subsequently rotate tubular member 20 and camming member 38 to the positions shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The peaks 40 of camming portion 38 engage the peaks 42 of camming portion 44 in this position and spring 50 is compressed by movement of mounting portion 26 toward bracket 30 as it rotates to this position. The engagement of this camming portion 34 with camming portion 36 will rotate these peaks overcenter of each other during continued opening movement of the ash receptacle 14 such that the stored energy in spring 50 is released to complete the rotation of tubular member 20 to the FIG. 6 position rotated end-for-end or from the FIG. 2 position. The movable camming portion 34 previously engaged with camming portion 36 will move downwardly out of engagement and alignment with camming portion 36 as this spring action occurs, and the other movable camming portion 34 will rotate to an upstanding position located slightly to the rear of camming portion 36 and ready for engagement therewith upon subsequent closing movement of ash receptacle 14. As the tubular member 20 reaches this position, ball 22 moves downwardly under the influence of gravity and aids in expelling the extinguished cigarette 24 from the tubular member as shown by FIG. 6. The ball 22 will seal against the lower end of the tubular member as the cigarette 24 drops into the lower end of ash receptacle 14 and will thus seal the tubular member and make the ash tray ready for extinguishing another cigarette.

The invention thus provides an improved vehicle body ash tray cigarette extinguisher.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle body ash tray including an occupant compartment panel structure supporting an ash receptacle for movement between open and closed positions, a cigarette extinguisher comprising, a generally tubular member having open ends and a length and internal diameter slightly greater than those of an unlit cigarette, means mounting the tubular member on the ash receptacle for movement between a pair of horizontally inclined positions rotated end-for-end from each other and alternately rotating the tubular member to each of these positions during successive movements of the ash receptacle to open position to alternately expose the opposite ends of the tubular member in upwardly oriented cigarette receiving positions, and a ball received within the tubular member for captured movement be tween the opposite ends thereof and being gravity biased downwardly to the lower end of the tubular member when this tubular member is in either of the inclined positions to limit oxygen flow to a lit cigarette inserted within the upper end of the tubular member and to thus extinguish the cigarette, downward ball movement in response to rotation of the tubular member expelling any extinguished cigarette from the tubular member, downwardly into the ash receptacle to thereby ready the tubular member for receiving and extinguishing cigarettes whenever the ash receptacle is moved to open position.

2. The cigarette extinguisher of claim 1 wherein the means for mounting and rotating the tubular member includes a first set of cooperable camming portions located between the compartment panel structure and the tubular member and providing the rotating actuation in response to movement of the ash receptacle from closed position to open position, and an overcenter arrangement having a spring and a second set of cooperable camming portions selectively and alternately biasing the tubular member to each of the inclined positions.

3. The cigarette extinguisher of claim 2 wherein the first set of cooperable camming portions includes a fixed camming portion extending downwardly from the compartment panel structure and laterally to the path of opening and closing movement of the ash receptacle,

and a pair of movable camming portions alternately engagement with the fixed camming portion during successive initial movements of the ash receptacle toward open position from closed position to provide an initial rotation of the second set of camming portions and the tubular member which moves this set of camming portions overcenter so that spring action of the overcenter arrangement completes the end-for-end rotational movement of the tubular member while concomitantly moving the movable camming portion previously engaged with the fixed camming portion downwardly out of engagement and alignment therewith, the movable camming portion which does not engage the fixed camming portion during each opening movement of the ash receptacle being moved upwardly and into alignment with this fixed camming portion as the overcenter arrangement provides the impetus for completing the rotational movement of the tubular member and this movable camming portion engaging the fixed camming portion as the ash receptacle is closed to rotate the overcenter arrangement short of overcentering such that cigarettes remain in the tubular member while the ash receptacle remains closed.

4. The cigarette extinguisher of claim 3 wherein the spring has a helical configuration with one end thereof seated against a support fixed relative to the ash receptacle, with the other end thereof seated against one of the second set of camming portions to provide the overcenter bias, and with the longitudinal axis of the spring generally aligned with the axis of rotation of the tubular member.

5. The cigarette extinguisher of claim 1 wherein a lit cigarette is guided into the tubular member by a funnellike guide portion fixedly supported on the ash recepta cle. 

1. In a vehicle body ash tray including an occupant compartment panel structure supporting an ash receptacle for movement between open and closed positions, a cigarette extinguisher comprising, a generally tubular member having open ends and a length and internal diameter slightly greater than those of an unlit cigarette, means mounting the tubular member on the ash receptacle for movement between a pair of horizontally inclined positions rotated end-for-end from each other and alternately rotating the tubular member to each of these positions during successive movements of the ash receptacle to open position to alternately expose the opposite ends of the tubular member in upwardly oriented cigarette receiving positions, and a ball received within the tubular member for captured movement between the opposite ends thereof and being gravity biased downwardly to the lower end of the tubular member when this tubular member is in either of the inclined positions to limit oxygen flow to a lit cigarette inserted within the upper end of the tubular member and to thus extinguish the cigarette, downward ball movement in response to rotation of the tubular member expelling any extinguished cigarette from the tubular member downwardly into the ash receptacle to thereby ready the tubular member for receiving and extinguishing cigarettes whenever the ash receptacle is moved to open position.
 2. The cigarette extinguisher of claim 1 wherein the means for mounting and rotating the tubular member includes a first set of cooperable camming portions located between the compartment panel structure and the tubular member and providing the rotating actuation in response to movement of the ash receptacle from closed position to open position, and an overcenter arrangement having a spring and a second set of cooperable camming portions selectively and alternately biasing the tubular member to each of the inclined positions.
 3. The cigarette extinguisher of claim 2 wherein the first set of cooperable camming portions includes a fixed camming portion extending downwardly from the compartment panel structure and laterally to the path of opening and closing movement of the ash receptacle, and a pair of movable camming portions alternately engagement with the fixed camming portion during successive initial movements of the ash receptacle toward open position from closed position to provide an initial rotation of the second set of camming portions and the tubular member which moves this set of camming portions overcenter so that spring action of the overcenter arrangement completes the end-for-end rotational movement of the tubular member while concomitantly moving the movable camming poRtion previously engaged with the fixed camming portion downwardly out of engagement and alignment therewith, the movable camming portion which does not engage the fixed camming portion during each opening movement of the ash receptacle being moved upwardly and into alignment with this fixed camming portion as the overcenter arrangement provides the impetus for completing the rotational movement of the tubular member and this movable camming portion engaging the fixed camming portion as the ash receptacle is closed to rotate the overcenter arrangement short of overcentering such that cigarettes remain in the tubular member while the ash receptacle remains closed.
 4. The cigarette extinguisher of claim 3 wherein the spring has a helical configuration with one end thereof seated against a support fixed relative to the ash receptacle, with the other end thereof seated against one of the second set of camming portions to provide the overcenter bias, and with the longitudinal axis of the spring generally aligned with the axis of rotation of the tubular member.
 5. The cigarette extinguisher of claim 1 wherein a lit cigarette is guided into the tubular member by a funnel-like guide portion fixedly supported on the ash receptacle. 